If anyone is unfamiliar with Caribe (Michel Camilo),you owe it to yourself to hear the contribution Cliff. That one will raise the dead,and I should know- I am 55. I have two questions...
1.Do the Oak Customs work out in low volume situations with a deft touch and coated heads?
2.Any Camilo DVD's with you on them?
Glad you will be more visible here.http://youtube.com/watch?v=LcxZXxlOFx8

Hey Tracer-
Thanks for the questions...(and compliment). In my opinion, the Oak Customs are great for everything. I was amazed when I first played them. I just used them in LA about 2 weeks ago on a streight ahead-ish type session with an 18" kick playing light and they worked great. With coated ambassadors they really read great dynamically live as well as recording. I use them on everything now.
As far as the dvd's Im not sure if im on any specific dvds with michel. I never know whats out there these days. But there are a bunch of videos on my site with Michel and other artists that i've played with if you want to check them out. Also on myspace.

I wanted to tell you that you are a huge influence on me. I remember checking your stuff out during a particularly important time in my musical development. I first heard of you in 1989 or so. My first teacher hipped me to you. Since then I have been listening to a lot of your recordings.

Ir is amazing to me how different you sound on Wayne Krantz' gigs as opposed to Michel Camilo's. As a matter of fact, every gig seems to bring something different out of your style. Very cool.

Also, nice job on your online lessons. I checked out Lesson 5 with the play along track. It's nice to hear some real world advice from an active pro, Look gorward to hearing some more.

Could you talk about what it's like playing with the great Anthony Jackson? He's got to be my favorite bass player of all time. You two sound great together in all of the different projects I've heard you in. It must be so fun working with him. (I think I would be intimidated but excited!)

Heeeyyy ya old dawg! Finally you posted! Man if Bernhard is seeing this bro...we need a Cliff Almond page on Drummerworld. I just noticed there is no page for him??

I dont say this stuff very often so when i do, it really means allot to me. Cliff...You are one of the baddest mo fo's on the planet right now. If you guys havent seen Cliff...PLEASE check it out. I am blown away evertime i hear you with Krantz or whoever!! No joke! A wonderful person and musician.

When i was a kid my dream was to go to PIT hahaha, Well after 4 years of procrastination ( I was 19 when i finally signed up)...i got there and one of the first things I saw, was the big band ensemble.( At the time they had a big band yes! It was sooooo cool to be able to learn and play that) As i walked the hallway towards the room where the band was, i heard this incredible drumming, burning up an uptempo chart with precision and power! Whhaaa , i thought to myself i gotta meet the guy who is playing that! So as I entered the room...i saw lots of other students peering towards the band. We all stood there kind of in disbeleif. That big ol band that sounded like a powerhouse (all top LA cats back in those days) was being pumped by this "kid" who was burning up that chart!! He looked even younger then he was back then hahaha! I asked another guy standing there "who the hell is that" and he said "oh thats cliff"

Son of a gun i never forget that day! The next day I saw him practing in his little room at the school and i right away started banging on the door! hahah! I asked him if he could help me with big band since my hands were shaking at the thought of having to play in front of Houghton and the freaking cats back then haha! To my surprise he said "oh sure man" and then proceeded to show me all the things he knew, reading interpretation of charts etc etc. Damn...I can still picture that day over 20 years ago. I learned so much in those first weeks alone and watching that "kid" reading his buttoks off, burning through chart after chart, was an inspiration that stays with you forever.

That my friends here at drummer world, is Cliff Almond. Super generous cat whom i hope you guys will draw from and pick his brain. A great addition to the forum.
Peace.
PM

I saw you playing with Michel Camilo (my countrymate!) in Altos de Chavon at the Heineken Jazz Festival YEARS AGO... (early 90's).

Since I(I feel I can say it now), got a CREW pass by bribing a guy with a bottle of scotch, I actually was there as you rehearsed and after you played you were cortious enough to hang with a couple of star struck aspiring drummers, who were asking who this blond kid was... ha, ha, ha.

A couple of years later, ironically, I found myself part of the organizing structure of that festival... and sadly, when Michel came, you were not playing with him at that gig... I had gotten an authentic TAMBORA to give you as a token of appretiation for the huge influence seeing you so early in my drumming life did.

It's still around here somewhere waiting for it's proper owner to come back.

Thank you.

__________________
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans" John Lennon

Hey Guillermo-
Of course I remember hanging with you guys..... But I can't remember exactly which concert that was. I played there a couple of times with him in trio or septet, and with a big band. I do remember talking to you at one of those shows. At any rate, Im sorry I wasn't able to see you the next time after that w/Michel. Thanks for the nice note though. Those are very kind words and I certainly appreciate the compliment...when I make it down there again we will definitely hang. If you happen to see the great percussionist Guarionex Aquino in Santo Domingo please give him my best!

Hey Aydee-
Just realized I never responded to your thread. Thanks so much for the compliments from a while back. Here are a couple of places you can check out if you are interested in looking at things I've done over the years.

Very cool to see you here,Cliff. I actually checked out your website a few months ago and have seen some great videos of you with Camillo. I heard about you many years ago and was trying to remember how I learned about you: Something to do with Weckl, I recall. Anyway, you're fantastic and it will be nice to have you contributing to the forum.

Hey Guys-
Thanks so much for the compliments. I hope to meet you in person and hear you soon.
Roger im always hearing great things about you whenever your name comes up.......everyone says your a great drummer and a nice guy as well. Hope to meet you at some point.

I first got hip to Cliff when I started college and he opened my mind to the true role and function of a drummer. I actually got into Cliff's drumming so much I ordered his exact kit to the "T" off of the Yamaha web site! I didn't know much about him except for his drumming was exactly how I wanted to play!

As time goes on I still continued to practice doing my Cliff impression in practice sessions and on gigs. It has been great now that he is so accessible online with his lessons to be able to really study just how he is does it but most importantly why he does it. He is one of the best technicians I have ever heard but he is also one of the best decision makers: always musical, sensitive and appropriate.

I have been fortunate now to hear and hang with Cliff briefly when he has been out to Los Angeles playing, in fact I just saw him a few weeks back at The Baked Potato. Every time I get re-inspired and head straight back into the practice room. Not to mention he is also a super cool guy!

We all have our musical heroes and we rarely get the chance to say thank you. So, thanks Cliff! I still want to grow up to be just like you!

Hey Aydee-
Just realized I never responded to your thread. Thanks so much for the compliments from a while back. Here are a couple of places you can check out if you are interested in looking at things I've done over the years.

Thanks Cliff, love that bandwidth of the backbeat on Rob Whitlock's 2nd service! The track with Wayne Krantz is fantastic too. Do you gig a lot with him? He is working a lot with Carlock, I thought..is there more of you with him? would love to check it out..

Hey Aydee-
Thanks for the compliments on the Whitlock/Krantz stuff. As far as Krantz, he's been using different guys for quite a few years now. Ari Hoenig, Dafnis Prieto, Anton Fig, etc. I've been doing some of those gigs lately. There are a few videos out there, and I am on some his last record "Your basic live '06". There is a video of us from a year or so ago on my myspace page:

Hey Aydee-
Thanks for the compliments on the Whitlock/Krantz stuff. As far as Krantz, he's been using different guys for quite a few years now. Ari Hoenig, Dafnis Prieto, Anton Fig, etc. I've been doing some of those gigs lately. There are a few videos out there, and I am on some his last record "Your basic live '06". There is a video of us from a year or so ago on my myspace page:

btw,I gotta tell you, last night I jammed with some people in a bar ( streched out chicken, actual proof,etc..) and all I could think of while I was playing was your free-flowing, effortless playing on the Baked Potato gig on youtube.
So when I got a few compliments afterwards, I told them it was'nt all me, it was partly Cliff Almond.

Thanks Aydee-
Happy you liked it. That was a fun gig. I didn't know at that time that it would end up on utube.....but there it is.
That being said.... there is a new video of a latin trade between Cafe and myself in Boston. Here is the link if you want to check it out. Cafe is killing (as usual)...

Man you totally kicked my ass today and on Sunday. Thanks for making all this possible and for every little word of advice. I'm blown away - this day will make a huge difference in our bandplaying and in my whole life and career as a drummer. It feels funny - when I went to LAMA I still had to learn a lot of shit drummingwise (getting my hands and coordination together, learning TONS of rhythms and timing... all that kind of stuff). Today is different: I feel that I can play what I want to play technically, its more a matter of how to play it. It makes a huge difference. It seems like now would be a much better time to learn than back when I still had to learn so much of the basics...

So therefore today and Sunday was fantastic, I (and all the other guys in the band) hope that we can repeat that as soon as possible.

To anybody reading this, wondering what the hell I'm talking about: Cliff and Phil coached my band Dreadnut Inc. today for three hours and kicked my ass real hard. I'm depressed already, but also motivated to make all the little adjustments that hopefully will make the big difference. Still, I feel like a total beginner now.

Both Phil and Cliff truly are two of the very best players that I have ever seen in my life (and trust me: I've seen many), both with wonderful feel and touch and an incredible sense of groove. I'll be doing all the exercises they've given me and I'll try to follow all the advice best as I can.

It was wonderful to meet you guys and hang with you. Sorry for the German weather though...

To everybody: Check out Phils books, they are great! Also check out Cliffs online lessons (I don't know them yet, but if they are only half as good as his real lessons, they must be incredible).

Boy, I'll never forget seeing you play with Michel Camilo in San Francisco a few years ago - great performance! Also, love your playing on Thru My Eyes. You've severely influenced my approach to playing St. Thomas :)

My question, when it comes to doing fills in latin music, such as on a songo in a latin jazz setting, what are the rules for creating phrases that expand upon the basic groove without destroying it? I've been playing the songo and other latin grooves for years but still have a relatively limited vocabulary when it comes to making longer phrases, fills, etc. I try to avoid playing fills that goes right to '1', cause they seem too obvious. On the other hand, I don't want to play too complex, over the barline, etc. Do you have any thoughts or suggestions?

Hey Guys- Thanks for all the kind words. I haven't been able to log on for a while due to some password issues, but here I am. I will answer these questions shortly, but for now im just checking in. Been getting alot of email about Camilo recently. Im going to be working with him for the next few months starting in April 2009. It will be my first time playing with him consistently for quite a few years. So if you see we are around please come out.

Hey Everyone-
Again, thanks for the nice words here about the one more once CD, videos, etc. FYI it looks like there is a possibilty of the entire live DVD/CD of this band being released soon. I keep getting emails about this on my website, but i don't have any specfics as to when or where it will be available. I will post something about it when I know more, but for now im in the dark on this one. I don't know where you guys heard about this, but thanks for letting me know about it.